New Colonel Light Gardens heritage guidelines will give better protection from development

New development guidelines have been released for the state’s only heritage-listed suburb.

A historical plan of Colonel Light Gardens.

Adelaide’s “model garden suburb”, Colonel Light Gardens, will be given special heritage-protection status under new planning rules, the State Government has revealed.

Residents feared the state’s only heritage-listed suburb could be left vulnerable to subdivision and urban infill under a new planning regime.

Public consultation has opened on heritage guidelines, specifically for Colonel Light Gardens, which the government says will strengthen protection laws for the area. It includes ministerial power to intervene in the assessment of development applications.

Colonel Light Gardens was established as a prime garden suburb at the turn of the 20th century and administered by the government under the Garden Suburb Act until the 1970s, when it was handed to Mitcham Council. It was given a State Heritage listing in 2000.

Planning Minister Vickie Chapman said preserving heritage in places such as Colonel Light Gardens was crucial.

“Heritage guidelines are in place to guide appropriate development, compatible with the heritage values of the area, and the proposed reforms will strengthen these protections,” Ms Chapman said.

Planning Minister Vickie Chapman says the new rules will better protect Colonel Light Gardens. Picture: Tait Schmaal

The Liberal MP for Elder, Carolyn Power, said retaining the suburb’s heritage was vital.

“Many residents have bought houses in the area because of the garden suburb’s heritage significance, so it’s important the appropriate protections are in place,” she said.

Colonel Light Gardens Residents Association president Marko Clobas said the new guidelines were “certainly a step in the right direction” but several issues would be raised with Heritage SA.

“I think it’s certainly better than what we had before,” he said. “It’s also encouraging that now the minister will be able to make directions rather than recommendations in regards to development applications.

“Overall, it has the potential for being better off but there are a number of matters we want to discuss further.”

Most houses in Colonel Light Gardens, 6km south of the CBD, were built in the 1920s .

The part of the suburb east of Goodwood Road was used as an army training camp during World War I, and prior to this the area was known as Grange Farm.